This invention relates to a circuit breaker comprising a box containing a triggering and resetting mechanism susceptible of acting on separable contacts for opening and closing at least one electric current path. Openings are provided on the front side of the box for the passage of an "ON" control button and an "OFF" control button accessible to an operator.
Such a circuit breaker is described notably in French document No. 2,448,216. The control buttons are push buttons mounted in the box so as to slide in alternate manner between two operational positions, and having a front pressing side for the operator's finger. When the operator wants to close the contacts, he presses the ON push button which remains pressed in, whereas the OFF push button is automatically put into an outward position in relation to the box. Conversely, to open the contacts, the operator presses the OFF push button which remains pressed in, whereas the ON push button is automatically returned to the outward position. The alternating position of the push buttons thus gives the operator a clear idea of the status of the circuit breaker.
Though such a manual control device is satisfactory, it would be desirable, to provide a more ergonomic device having an accentuated visualization of its "ON" or "OFF" status.
French document No. 1,558,448 discloses the control of an electric switch by means of a pivoting button fitted with a transparent window; this window enables visualization of inscriptions representative of two operational positions of said switch. The control of a circuit breaker is also known by means of a pivoting control button called a "tumbler" with which a triggering visualization means is associated. However, the known pivoting control buttons do not fully provide the desirable working safety and clearness of visualization.